Wilfried Zaha ‘has told Crystal Palace he wants to leave AGAIN and hopes to seal an exit before the start of pre-season training’… and the Eagles ‘could be open to a move’ with the forward struggling in front of goal
- Wilfried Zaha has once again told Crystal Palace he wants to leave, reports claim
- The forward has expressed his desire to quit Selhurst Park in recent seasons
- He has been linked with Arsenal and Everton but failed to secure a move
- Palace could be willing to cash in on Zaha after just scoring three goals in 2021
Wilfried Zaha has reiterated his desire to leave Crystal Palace again with the forward eager to seal an exit before pre-season begins, according to reports.
The Ivorian striker has been heavily linked with a move away from Selhurst Park in recent seasons but his club have priced him out of a transfer – with the Eagles demanding around £100million after interesting Arsenal and Everton in 2019.
The Gunners were only willing to stump up £40m, and Zaha ended up staying put, but his levels of consistency have dropped. He only scored four league goals in 2019-20 and netted 11 times last season – but only three of those came in this calendar year.
Wilfried Zaha has reportedly informed Crystal Palace of his desire to leave this summer
The Ivorian, heavily linked with Arsenal in the past, has sought to quit in recent seasons
And with Zaha now approaching his thirties, the player has now informed the club of his wish to finally move on, as reported by the Times.
The 28-year-old doesn’t have a clear set of options as he bids to leave his boyhood team, the report adds, while the situation is ‘complicated’ due to the financial impact of the Covid pandemic.
Palace, who are currently managerless after Roy Hodgson left at the end of the season may not show as much resistance to Zaha this time around. The club, led by chairman Steve Parish, could be ‘open’ to selling him after watching him struggle in front of goal.
Last month it was reported that Tottenham and Everton were set to scrap it out for Zaha’s signature, with the forward – whose deal ends in 2023 – rated at £40m.
Steve Parish could be tempted to cash in on Zaha after his inconsistent form in front of goal
Spurs were said to be monitoring the situation closely in case Harry Kane departs this summer, with the player himself declaring that he had earned a big move.
‘I feel like I can have another shot at the top teams, because my dream is to win things,’ Zaha told The Face.
‘I’m good enough to go out there and compete with the best.
‘If the opportunity came, I wouldn’t turn it down, because I feel like I deserve it. It’s so I can show my kids: “this is what daddy won”.’
He started his career at Palace before earning a big move to Manchester United in 2013 – but the switch went horribly wrong as he featured just four times. He was sent out on loan to Cardiff and Palace twice before re-joining permanently in 2016.
He netted just three goals in 2021, but declared himself ‘still hot’ and deserving of a big move
Zaha insisted he was ‘still hot’ despite coming to the end of his twenties and believes he has managed to ‘stay relevant’.
‘People thought I was done: going to Man United and that not working out, me going to Cardiff.
‘But I’ve gone back to Palace, restarted my career, and I’ve stayed relevant and hot throughout this time.
‘My name is still in people’s mouths. You can say what you want but I’m still here and I’m still hot.’
His team-mate Christian Benteke, meanwhile, has signed a two-year extension. Palace are still sweating on the futures of 12 players whose deals expire this month – including Gary Cahill, Patrick van Aanholt, Jeffrey Schlupp and Andros Townsend.
